Gas controlling and lighting apparatus for automobiles.



A. GLBLAGK. GAS CONTROLLING AND LIGHTING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.17, 1911.

1,023,004. 1 Patented Apr. 9,191.2

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES.-

ATTORNEY.

A. G. BLACK. GAS CONTROLLING AND LIGHTING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.17, 1911.

Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L023fi04,

, v YINVENTOR,

A T T ORNE Y UNiTED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

ALLEN G. BLACK, SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAS CONTROLLING AND LIGHTING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMOBILIiS.

Application filed February 17, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLEN G. BLACK, a cltlzenof the United States ofAmerica, and

resident of Springfield, in the county of the drivers seat, for ignitionof the gas issuing from the burners of the lamps.

Another object is to arrange the lighting device so that it will notlessen the brilliancy of the light by covering the refieo tor. And afurther object is to make a practicable and convenient combination ofthe controller operating the ignition device and controller for the gastank valve operating device in one appliance or equipment on thedashboard of an automobile.

The invention is fully described in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings and is set forth in the claims.

In the drawings :-Figure- 1 is a side elevation of an automobile havingmy improved devices thereon. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatlc view comprising 1npart a front elevation of lamps, and a sectional elevation transverselyof the automobile just in rear of the operating mechanism on thedashboard, for the lighting devices. Fig. 3 is a plan View of thecontrolling mechanism located on the dashboard of an automobile; Fig.4is a cross section of same taken on line 4-4, Fig. 3, showing thecontrolling crank in normal, .vertical, position. Fig. 5

is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the controlling crank movedfrom a vertical to a horizontal position, as in the act of operating theignition devices. Fig. 6 is an enlarged front view of one of the lampscomprised in the lighting system. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the.gas lighting device, showing it in its relation to a lamp; and Fig. 8 isa perspective view of the lighting device on a larger scale.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all ofthe views.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the controller for the gaslighters B B of the lamps C, C, which are understood to be at the headof the machine or in their various rl'mes as usual. The gas lighter iscom- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ap1-.9,1912.

Serial No. 609,225.

prised of a coiled and return bent spring rod which has one leg athereof pivoted at c to the bracket b. The other leg a carries anignlting member which may be cerium or other pyrophorie substance,andwhich has a rubbing coaction against the file like member f rigidlycarried at the extremity of the rod or leg a, and relative to which legsa, a may move, as indicated in Fig. 6. The bracket 6 is held firmlyagainst the side of the lamp C by means of the screws 9 g. A spring 5 isin engagement with the leg a of the lighter B for the purpose ofreturn-' ing the said lighter B to its original position after the gasis ignited. is attached to the'leg a above the level of the pivot c andat a distance from the igniting member (Z to allow an easy movement ofthe lighter. The cord IL is guided by a small wheel or roller held bypivot screw at c whence it passes downward through an aperture in themetallic casing of the lamp to the pulley J, whence it is guided bypulley wheel j vertically upward to the vertical slide bar In. Saidslide bar is passes through the containing box of controller A fromlower side. The containing box has an internally located apertured lug 8through which the slide bar is guided in its vertical movements. Thesaid block has a recess 2 for receiving the extremity of the lever ncarried as a rigid arm of an operating shaft p, and which arm engagesthe transverse member 0 provided at the upper extremity of the slide bar7c in such a position as to fall directly across the recess 2 when theslide bar is is in its normal lowered position.

The shaft 79 for operating the slide is is operated by crank arm m, thelever n being attached to said shaft at a proper angle thereto toconduce to efficiency of operation of the device. By the movement ofsaid crank m from a vertical to an upwardly horizontal position, thelever n engages the pin 0 lifting the slide. bar is and drawing with itthe attached cord which causes the lighter B (Fig. 6) to be swung fromits normal, approximately vertical to a hori zontal position, bringingit .in engagement with the upper extremity of burner e of the lamp C.The burner usually used for acetylene gas is of the bifurcated form, andthe member a is brought to a stop by coming down into the crotch of theburner top.

By a further upward movement of the crank m theleg a of the lighter B isdrawn The cord h by cord h to a position in close proximity the leg (4"moves rapidly away from leg (4 and the spark or flame producing materialengaging with the file like member f causes a spark which ignltes thegas lssumg from the burner e of lamp 0. Simultane ously with the actionof the spring 4 of the lighter B, the spring 5 causes the lighter to beswung away from the burner to its normal position where in no way doesit destroy the brilliancy of the light.

The .controlling box is fastened to the dashboard of the automobile byany suitable means such as screws. The case or container for thecontroller mounted on the dash-board as stated, is also included inmeans which in addition to operating in conjunction with the gaslighting devices for the lamps as described, operates in conjunctionwith the appliances for controlling the supply of gas to the lamps; andin the drawings, 8 represents a vertical rod which passes and is guidedthrough the controller box,-'on the lower extremity'of which a pulleywheel is horizontally mounted, and around which the endless cord or wire10 passes. This endless flexible connection 10 has an engagement arounda pulley 16 which is fixed on the rotative stem 17 of the valve for thegas tank 18,- having a position remote from the lamps, and which ispipeconnected with the burner or burners of the lamps, so that when theendless cord is moved the valve will be more or less opened as desired,or fully closed. On the upper extremity of the vertical rod, above thetop of. the box, is mounted a lever 11 which enmgages withan'upstanding' rib 12, the object of which is to frictionall-y hold thelever at any position where it may be placed. A comparatively heavyspring 15 is placed around the vertical rod 8 inside the controller box,the upper end of said spring bearing against the top wall of the box 8,while the lower extremity is in engagement with'a shoulder 16. If lhverll be swung from its normal position, the cord 10, passing about thepulley wheel at the lower extremity of the rod 8, operates the gas tankValve with which the cord 10 also engages.

- From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple andefiicient means are herein provided for accomplishing all the objects ofthe invention.

It is apparent that by providing a means operable from the drivers seatfor the lighting of the lamps, that much time and trouble may be saved;and in conjunction with the controlling device for the gas tank valvewhich is operated from the same controller, danger of damage to thelamps from explosions occasionedby the escape of a large amount of gasbetween the time of opening the valve and the ignition of the gas willbe avoided.

1. The combination with a burner, of a support to one side of the burnerand a lighting device consisting of a spring wire, the middle portion ofwhich is made into a coil, while its extremities are extended therefromin approximately parallel legs,

one thereof having an abrading piece and the other a cooperativeigniting piece, one of said legs being pivotally mounted on said supportand having a retracting spring applied in relation thereto, and a cordhaving a draft connection with the other one of said legs.

2. The combination with a burner, of a support to one side of the burnerand alighting device consisting of a spring wire,

the middle portion of which is made into a. coil, while its extremitiesare extended therefrom in approximately parallel legs, one thereofhaving an abrading piece and the other a cooperative igniting piece, oneof said legs being pivotally mounted on said support and having aretracting spring applied in relation thereto, a cord havlng a. draftconnection with the other one of said legs, and a. slidable bar having atransverse member, to which bar said cord is connected, the cord beingintermediately thereof sheave guided, and a shaft having a rotatinghandle, and having a lever-like projection for successively engaging,under rotations of such shaft, the transverse member of said bar.-

Signed by me at Springfield, Mass, in presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

ALLEN G. BLACK. Witnesses:

WM. S. BELLOWS, G. R. Dnrsoorm.

